[airgrabber]

I am currently living in NJ but am possibly interested in a property in the "Pruetts" section of Paragould, west of the railroad tracks. I did a bit of a city-data forum search on Paragould and read the commentary on the town, but I was wondering if anyone had any input for me. I am a single father, 34 years old, Caucasion. I have lived in Southern New Jersey most of my life, but I feel like making a clean start of things somewhere new. I would be looking for a decent yet inexpensive older home to fix up in someplace reasonably safe with nice, sane neighbors. I'm a live and let-live type of person looking for the same, I guess. Would this be Paragould?

I would need a decent, but not necessarily high paying job. Generally speaking, are jobs available in Paragould? I don't mind driving a bit - are jobs available in Jonesboro, and if so - is that a reasonable commute considering traffic, if any?

I am a car-guy. Up here in the Delaware Valley region of southeastern PA, NJ and DE, we have quite a car culture with shows, cruises, and events from early spring until late fall. Is this common in Arkansas? I also like camping and fishing, so I think the area would offer excellent opportunities to do both. Are residents in the area pleasant to friendly outsiders? Are there decent bars or restaraunts in town or within reasonable (10-15 min) distance?

I'm sure I will have other questions, but I'll just start here. Thank you in advance for any input you may have.

[J Arp]

You might be able to find a job in Paragould, but likely you'll end up commuting to Jonesboro. I don't know what your commute is now in New Jersey, if any, but it is 30+/- minutes from Paragould to Jonesboro depending on where you live in Paragould and where your job is located in Jonesboro. I guess that is stating the obvious, but generally 30 minutes. I've never been to NJ but I don't think you'll be able to compare NJ traffic to Northeast Arkansas "traffic."

In my eyes it seems like Paragould has something of a car culture. I can't explain it...

I've noticed Paragould seems to be very small business oriented. There are chain stores in Paragould, but the majority of franchises and so on will go to Jonesboro. There appear to be more mom and pop shops in Paragould, non-franchise restaurants and bars.

Paragould has held onto its older buildings tighter than Jonesboro. There are some real neat houses. I know one house that would be amazing if someone had the cash and time to devote to fixing it up. I wanted it so bad but I just couldn't see paying for all the work...especially for my first home.

Good luck, ask some more questions and we might be able to help.

[big grin]

Paragould is a great place to live. I moved here about 7 years ago and I'm very happy and comfortable. It has been called the safest city in Arkansas due to the very low crime rate. I drive to jonesboro about 4-5 times a week for school, and I actually enjoy the 25 minute commute to ASU. There is rarely any traffic, but they have put in several traffic lights in the last few years to control traffic flowing in and out of jonesboro. The people here keep to themselves pretty well, so you should enjoy a good amount of privacy. The schools are very good here and they are constructing a new high school that should be completed in a year or two. You would likely need to go to jonesboro to find a job unless you work in the health professions field. There is a hospital here that employs several people. However, the cost of living is very reasonable here in Arkansas. I would definitely stay west of the railroad tracks if possible. There are some decent homes in that area, but the neighborhoods get a little more seedy futher east. This town will probably be over 30000 at the end of the census and continues to grow. There are some restaurants here but jonesboro has few a more than we do and an Olive Garden is being constructed as we speak. My wife and I eat in Jonesboro every weekend and like I said the commute is easy. Jonesboro is in a "dry" county but there are some restaurants and clubs there that sell alcohol. Paragould has several bars and you can buy alcohol just about anywhere. There is small lake here in town and a couple state parks 20-25 minutes away. This is Arkansas so hunting and fishing are a huge part of the culture here.
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I think you would be hard pressed to find a better place to raise a child.

[northbound74]

I HIGHLY recommend a good thorough visit before making a commitment. If you decide to make the move, I'd rent for at least a year before completely settling down. It's a different kind of town.

[JoycMarr]

Paragould is a nice enough small town. The commute to Jonesboro is not bad. Just be aware the mentality of Paragould, and Northeast AR in general is good ol' boy, redneck central. Everyone is friendly (maybe too friendly if you are a private type person), but not very accepting of other races, cultures, or gays. Good luck with your move.